Unmasking Darien
by Quicksilver
Summary: Layer by layer, the true self of Darien is revealed.


Quicksilver's Quill Offers:  
Unmasking Darien  
mbsilvana@yahoo.com  
standard disclaimers  
  
The Gauntlet has been Thrown!  
Moonklutz said I couldn't- so I dug this up and refined it- it's not HORRIBLE, is it? Not ENTIRELY WAFF, but certainly some interesting U/M interactions.... I hope!  
The names are mixed- but I have a reason for this....  
PG 13  
  
There's a certain amount of luck that life deals people. Some people are born with it and never seem to lose it; the proverbial "Midas Touch" as some choose to call it. Others seemed dogged by fate, cursed by "Murphy's Law"- the fact that if something can go wrong, it will. Most of us fall somewhere in-between on the spectrum.   
And then there are those who yo-yo up and down- one moment blessed by the Gods who watch over children and fools, the next cursed by the Fates, who seem to have very little to do aside from make mortals' lives miseries. One who was on this unpredictable teeter-totter of destiny was none other then the famed Sailor Moon.  
Serena Tsukino had been having a really bad day. Aside from her usual minor morning tribulations (which you've all heard before, so there's no point in going into it), she had to fight a new-typed monster at lunch, thus missing on the latest gossip with Molly. Then there had been the Senshi meeting (which she had spent fighting with Ares' favorite Senshi), and then Darien had managed to get knocked on the head- AGAIN. This time it was a mundane injury but he had once again forgotten that they were soul-mates- and only that little fact. Listening to him revert to his prior tormenting of Serena had made more one of the Senshi angry- especially Mina, as she hadn't heard it all before.   
Restoring his memory had taken up the better part of her evening hours, and Serena had almost agreed with Rei when she suggested they just let his memory stay lost. In about six months, something was bound to come up again. So even after her success (a simple shampoo from some crazy Amazon with a strange name had done the trick), she had felt a little bit disgruntled. Her Dare-chan's kiss of thanks had helped somewhat, but she kept getting the feeling that they would be back in the same boat before they blinked twice. And as if all that wasn't enough to ruin her day, she had had to spend the later part of the evening chasing a demon around the city, trying to get the jewel Darien had insisted was important.  
The Senshi had finally managed to corner the creature in Arcade, but not before it had smashed a few of the video machines- including the latest Sailor V adventure. This infuriated Sailor Moon into giving a good three-minute version of her spiel before attacking. She fought fiercely, determined to get the gem that the monster was wearing on a thin cord around its neck.  
Her fellow Senshi launched their attacks as well. Uranus and Neptune had decided to make a rare appearance, so everything was going well. Sailor Moon lunged towards the monster and snagged its make-shift necklace off its neck, then moon-dusted it with her latest wand.  
She cupped the gem in one gloved hand, thinking. It looked like a simple (though beautiful) sapphire, but she could feel the power that emanated from it. The other Senshi started to gather around her. "That's what we were fighting for?" Venus asked in a slightly disgusted voice. The jewel was barely the size of Serena's thumbnail, and Serena was tiny, even though she didn't like admitting it.  
Sailor Moon shrugged. She'd never had been the most brilliant of the Senshi, and she knew it. "Darien said he had a dream," she said simply, as though that would explain it. And to a certain extent, it did. Darien was older then all the Senshi, with the exception of Pluto. He seemed to be more of a guardian then an actual warrior, but lately his powers seemed to have been growing and changing. Even though Serena wouldn't admit it to herself, she was frightened that his growing powers meant he was becoming Neo King Endymion- someone she wasn't ready to deal with. His occasional dreams that foretold the future had become more frequent, and he had told the Senshi that this gem was important, and that a monster would come wearing it through the Video Arcade.  
"I wonder what it's made of?" Mercury said, taking out her computer and analyzing the gem for herself before anyone had the chance to venture an answer.  
"It's funny how there's this big thing with gems and jewelry," Mars added. "Every threat we encounter seem to be tied up to it in some way!"  
Sailor Moon tossed her free hand up in the air. "We don't have time for this casual banter today, guys," she said softly. "Major tests coming up. I need all the study-time I can get!" she exclaimed in an uncharacteristic display of concern for her grades, thinking of the hours she had spent chasing down a cure for Darien's amnesia. She didn't begrudge him... much.  
"Can you believe that we're finally graduating?" Jupiter exclaimed cheerfully.  
The rest of the Inner Senshi smiled, while the two Outer Senshi smiled with indulgent amusement. "You had better get the gem to Darien," Neptune said in her quiet way, noticing Serena's impatience to leave. The Inner Senshi were quickly allowing this to become a social gathering.  
Mercury pouted slightly as Sailor Moon nodded her agreement. "But I didn't get to finish my scan!" Ami protested, even as she shut her small computer case.  
Sailor Moon's smile became slightly forced. "I'm sure you'll be able to work with it later if you ask Darien nicely enough," she said, slightly distracted from her current surroundings. The Scouts exchanged concerned glances. She bounded onto the top of the nearest roof, summoning the inner reserves her Senshi magic gave her. She came lightly to her feet, then started to roof-hop. The last two years had added to her stamina and grace, and though she couldn't keep up with Tuxedo Mask, she could give any of the Senshi a run for their money.  
In a few minutes, she stood in the alley behind Darien's apartment complex. She touched the Silver Crystal that lay hidden in her broach, and willed the magic to go back into dormancy. She felt the power retreat as her clothes shifted back into what she had been wearing before she had transformed in the first place- in this case, a set of jeans and an angora sweater. She loved the light pink sweater, even though Luna's fur clung to it like a man clinging to a lifeboat.   
She walked into the building, well aware that it was approaching one am. The night watchman frowned disapprovingly at her. "Isn't it a little late for you to be seeing your boyfriend?" he asked.  
She smiled softly, determined to have old Shinji wrapped around her little finger again. He liked her and had gotten to know her from her frequent visits, but he disapproved of the idea of a sexual relationship between two unmarried youngsters. "Darien managed to get a minor concussion this afternoon- he really should have gone to the hospital, but you know how stubborn he can be. I just wanted to check to make sure he was OK. Half an hour, tops!" she promised as she disappeared into the elevator.  
Serena stood in the elevator, hugging her arms to her chest. She loved visiting her boyfriend, but lately the tension between them had become almost tangible. She was almost eighteen, and wanted to start exploring their relationship in depth. While Darien was quite happy to kiss her till she couldn't walk straight (let's ignore the fact that walking straight wasn't one of her strong points in the first place), he seemed to shy away when she let herself become a little more uninhibited. She was confused and frustrated. She had one of the world's most attractive boyfriends, and they had been dating for THREE YEARS and she was STILL a virgin!  
Finally the doors parted and she stalked out, clenching the tiny sapphire in her hand so tightly it made an imprint in her palm. Serena had finally reached her bursting point, and before she would let Darien have the gem, SHE would have some answers! She pounded on his door, grateful that the other apartments on either side were vacant at the present. She had the feeling that this wasn't going to be pretty... or quiet.   
She heard the locks click as Darien undid them from his side of the door. She counted as both deadbolts were undone, and when she heard the jangling of the chain, she didn't wait. She opened the door before Darien even had a chance to react, sliding into the room. She clicked the deadbolts behind her, making sure she had cut off his usual escape route.  
Darien had backed up a few steps when she entered. Her eyes were flashing and her cheeks were flushed with anger. "Did you get the gem?" he asked urgently, hoping that it was the remaining flush from battle that gave her such color.  
Serena held up the gem, noticing for the first time that it was the same color as his eyes. "Right here," she said, seething under the surface.  
He held out his hand. "Can I have it?" he asked pointedly.  
"Right after we have a little conversation, mister," Serena shot back.  
Darien raised his eyebrow in an inquiring fashion. "At one in the morning?" he asked.  
She jerked her head affirmatively, setting her odangos bobbing. "I won't be able to sleep until I have some answers!" she exclaimed, wound up and making no effort to hide it.  
Darien motioned for her to take a seat on the sofa, but she remained standing. "What is it?" he asked, recognizing that she was waiting for him to make the first move.  
She bit her lip, trying to find a way to express her feelings. "Do you love me?" she asked, deciding to start at her most basic concern.  
His eyes widened. "Of course I do," he said, reaching out to kiss her doubts away. "I thought you knew that." She backed away from him, ignoring the hurt in his eyes.  
"Not right now, Dare-chan," she said, her use of the familiar nickname calming him somewhat. "If you love me, then why do you seem to be determined to get rid of me?"  
"Where would you ever get an idea like that?" Darien asked, wanting to shake some sense into her pretty head.  
"Because you keep forgetting me, or dumping me, or both! Once is chance, twice is coincidence, three times is deliberate," she misquoted at him.  
He sank into the couch. "So this is about today, then, is it?" he asked in a tired voice.  
"Yes and no!" she yelled back, her voice getting louder. "Why is it always ME you forget?" she cried. It was a cry from the soul, and Darien realized he held their future together in his hands at that moment. One wrong word, and it would be shattered.  
"I don't know," he admitted. "I forgot my parents, too," he reminded her. "Maybe I only forget those I love."  
Serena sniffled, wiping the tears that had appeared during their argument on her sweater sleeve. "But why don't you ever do more then kiss me?" she asked, showing the other thing that had been bothering her to him.  
This time he winced. "Like make love?" he asked. "You're still too young."  
Her eyes flashed angrily. "Don't lie to me, Darien," she confronted him. "I'm the same age you were when we met."  
He rose to his feet, cupping her chin in his large hand. He kiss her forehead softly before speaking. "It's not you, Serena," he told her. "It's me."  
She focused her entire attention on him, and Darien was transfixed. In the one moment, he could see her past as Princess Serenity, her present life as his Meatball Head and Sailor Moon, and the future Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo. He sometimes wondered if she saw any of his other incarnations in him as well. "Why?" she whispered.  
"Because I'm not good enough for you," he admitted, voicing his inner-most fear.  
She opened her mouth to protest, but he quiet her by touching a finger to her lips. "Prince Endymion was, and the Neo-King of Crystal Tokyo will be," he said. "But Darien and Tuxedo Mask? I don't know." He released her so her could put a little space between them. "I never did get back my childhood memories, and Darien is just an orphan. I don't even know what my real name is- I have no family name to offer you," he said.   
Serena's tears were flowing again, but this time, she was crying for him. Darien had no tears left to shed for himself. "You will always be good enough for me, even if you're...." she faltered, looking for a suitable enough comparison, "the forgotten heir to the Black Moon Family!" she said finally. "I love you, Darien," she said.  
He smiled tiredly. "You have always held my heart," he replied. "But I need to get my soul sorted out before I can offer you my life," he confessed.  
She nodded, her posture one of defeat. "Here's the gem," she said, passing him the sapphire. He took it, holding it gently. Then he bent forward and kissed her softly, a lingering kiss that both of them realized would have to tide them over for a while.  
Serena unlocked the door and left the room, not taking a glance behind her. She was sure that Darien would find a worthwhile man after his soul-searching, but she couldn't tell him that. There were some things that a person needed to discover on their own.  
  
****  
  
Darien sat curled up on his couch, staring at the jewel that was sitting on his coffee table. He reached out and touched it finally, having made his decision.   
This was the Star of Truth, and Darien needed it more then he had ever needed anything before- except for Serena. He picked it up in his hand, savoring the feel of power within. He had hated the pleasure, hated the knowledge that he was little better then one of the usual enemies that sought to drain energy from poor unsuspecting humans. But he had always been attracted by power, being able to wield it. He stared deeply into the jewel, hardly realizing what he was doing.  
Then he shook his head, refusing to allow himself to be controlled by a hunk of stone. "Almost, my pretty friend," he whispered. "But we've already played this game before, a long time ago," he said. He held the jewel up and commanded, "Revive!"  
The small gem exploded into light, but Darien didn't bother to shield his eyes. It grew until it was about the size of his fist, an impossibly large, perfect gem. The whirling facets would have entranced a normal man, but Darien wasn't normal. "It is I, Endymion, Prince of Earth," he said in a voice he hardly recognized as his own. "I reclaim you," he said.  
The jewel rippled lightly, and Darien got the impression that it was having a conversation with itself. Finally, a soft tenor filled the room, too bland to be describe as either male or female. "You are Endymion, yet you are not he. I do not know you."  
He sank back into his chair. Once, when he had been the Prince of Earth, he had claimed the Star as his own, controlling its power. The Star could only be controlled by one of the Nine Planets' Royal Families, and few attempted to take control. Endymion had been one of those few, and in the end, had become the tenth, and last, wielder of the Star of Truth. The testing to claim the Star was brutal, and only one in one hundred had survived it- but those who had survived never regretted it. Until now. It seemed that Darien's testing had proven useless.  
Darien clenched his fist. "I need to know!" he exclaimed in frustration.  
The soft blue light flickered over Darien's face like a blue fire. "Know? Know the truth?" the Star taunted. "That lies within yourself, Man-who-is-yet-is-not-Endymion."  
Darien looked at the gem that had once been his tool, and was now his tormentor. "Then try me again," he said softly.  
The gem flicked into a bright pink for an instant, as though surprised. It quickly resumed its normal serene blue tinge. "This is most... unusual," the personality behind the gem said. "Only ten people have ever had the right to claim the Star of Truth as their own, and they were all of royalty. Normally you would be killed for such an absurd request, but circumstances being what they are... you may take the test.-- but still... can you survive having your soul bared for a second time? It almost broke you the first," the gem said.  
Darien looked deep into its facets. "I can't survive not knowing," he replied. Steeling himself, he took hold of the gem, waiting for the pain to set in. He didn't have to wait long.  
  
****  
  
He was lying in a grass field, gazing up into the sky. Fragmented memories of his last testing came back to him, so he sat up, looking for his guide.  
Princess Serenity stood in front of him, one hand reaching down to help him to his feet. He took it and used it to help him rise. Usually he would have been more careful of her, as she was very fragile, but this time, he didn't hesitate. Serenity wasn't real; she was just a guise the gem used. The last time it had been General Malachite; he wasn't surprised by the change.  
"Since you have been here before, I am sure you know of the way this testing works," the Star said, using Serenity's lips. The voice, though, was still the light tenor, and it was odd, to say the least, to hear Serenity speak in such a low callous voice. "There will be tests, yet you will not know you are being tested until the end of each trial," the Star continued. "If you succeed, the reward will be the Star of Truth- if you fail, death would be a kindness."  
Darien nodded, having received a longer lecture the last time he made the attempt to claim the Star. He looked around, trying to find the door that would take him to his first trial. Serenity-Star smiled at him, then waved a hand. The door appeared, and Darien strode through it, appearing fearless. The Star, however, watched, knowing the truth, as truth was its to hold. "Good luck," it said quietly. "You are more then what you were, young Prince. It's time for you to realize it."  
  
****  
Endymion stood in the shadows, waiting for his Princess. He wore a white mask across his face, pretending that he was a resident of the moon, rather then the Prince of Earth. It galled him to no end, for he was proud of his herritage. Still, no one from Earth could be trusted as the Negaverse was encroaching on what had been his home planet.  
He watch the mass of ballgoers swirl around, oblivious to the danger they might be in. He kept his lip from curling with derision only through a strong act of will. There was a reason the word "lunatic" meant crazed on his home planet. These people simply didn't believe that the danger could touch them.   
He glanced out one of the windows and caught the site of the Earth hanging below. He felt the tug of his homeworld. It looked as though he simply could leap off this satelite and fall through the darkness until the Earth, his mother, caught him in her protective grasp. Tears threatened to fall from his normally stoic face. He wanted to be there, fighting the battle, but he knew that Beryl had already won. Now his only chance was protecting the Moon, and perhaps, with the help of the Queen and her Court, he could regain what he had lost.  
He crept to the back of the stairs, his dark clothes standing out in this assemblege of colors. He wore black, the color of mourning. He mourned for his planet, mourned for those lost to him, mourned for too much. It was only with her that he could forget for a little while.  
She was late again. But then again, that was a princess' proragative, especially in her home court. Everyone would forgive her, anyway. Looking at the princess, they all felt that the happy life would continue forever. Serenity seemed to be the epitome of love.  
She had been courted by all the royalty of the planets, and even some other star systems. What was amazing to Endymion was that she had chosen him. He loved her beyond everything else, seeing her as his other half. She was sunlight to his shadows, frivolity to his solemness, sugar to the bitter salt he felt life continously rubbed into his wounds. In return for her love, he offered his own love, and protection from the shadows that seemed to haunt him. If the Moon was attacked, he vowed that she would never feel the bitter touch of reality.  
He glanced up at the stairway in time to catch her descending. She was a vision of beauty. As she came to the landing, he caught her slender hand in his. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled as he invited her for a last dance.  
They moved together across the floor as he explained exactly what was happening. All too soon, his report reached its completion, and the waltz stopped. He brought her out onto a balcony and kissed her softly. Then he left.  
He walked into a small room and donned his armor. Unlike the lunatics who were still partying, he could feel the aura of danger grow thicker. He could almost taste the evil that was approaching.  
The alarms sounded and he hurried outside in time to see the army of darkness arrive. He caught sight of the leaders of the destruction, and felt his stomach twist with revulsion. His closest friends had been twisted into carritures of their former selves, only powered by evil intents. He saw Zoi's red hair as he unerringly went after Lady Mercery, and watched as Jupiter and Nephrite fell into battle. The former lovers were pairing off for the final time, and Endymion had the sickening feeling that they would kill each other in the fashion of a true Greek tragedy. Looking down at the sapphire ring he wore, he wondered if there was anyway to cure them.  
The images the Star of Truth showed him were terrible. The Senshi and the Generals falling to each others hands. The Moon Kingdom being over run, the Queen killed. Beryl laughing triumphantly as she tore him from his princess, torturing Serenity. He glared at the stone, wanting to accuse it of lying, but knowing it was incapable of such a thing. It wasn't called the Star of Truth for nothing.   
He watched as the battle thickened, torn. He could fight for this doomed cause, to which he had sworn himself, or... he could find Serenity. The decision took less then a minute. He abandoned the battle to look for his beloved.  
He found her in her chambers, her eyes wide in fear. The sounds of battle were faint, but Endymion could tell that she heard the death cries. She hurried over to him. "Endymion?" she asked hopefully. "Is it almost finished? Did we win?"  
He coaxed a small smill to his lips. "Of course we did, Serenity-chan," he said, hugging her. She relaxed gracefully into his embrace, and he felt the relief in her body. "The good guys always win," he told her. He raised her head so he could kiss her. As there lips touched, he called upon a small bit of magic. "Hypnos," he whispered. He caught her slender body as it fell towards the ground.  
Picking up his sleeping princess, he carried her over to the bed. He looked at her calm face, pained. He settled down on the bed, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly. Hearing her steady breathing, he ran a hand over her cheek. "I promised that they wouldn't get their hands on you, my love," he said quietly, ignoring the sounds of the nearing battle. He thought of Kunzite's face, twisted by inner darkness, and that strengthened his resolve.   
This should have been their marriage bed, but now it would be their death bed. He kissed her softly on the cheek, then prepared for the next spell. "Mortis!" he whispered.  
Normally the spell would have met many shields that guarded the princess, but it was her prince who cast it. True love left her opened, and Endymion listened as her breathing lightened until it stopped. Damn Beryl, he thought.  
He shut his eyes as he prepared the final casting. "Mortis!" he said, though this time the target was himself.  
  
****  
  
Darien opened his eyes to find himself back in the grass field. He looked up into Serenity-Star's impassive face. "Damn you," he whispered, using his hands to push him up to his knees. "Damn you!" he said, not sure if he was cursing the Star or himself.  
"It is yourself who creates the tests, not I," the Star replied. "I only force you to see what the truth is."  
"Why?" Darien asked in a broken whisper. "Endymion passed the test long ago!"  
"But you are not Endymion anymore. Part of him is you, and you must realize how much the final battle changed the Prince of Earth."  
Darien nodded, accepting the the truth. He rose to his feet and looked into the Star's eyes. "If I had known the truth that day, I would have done that. No one was going to have my Serenity. Her innocence..." he whispered.   
"I was not there for the final battle. You had left me behind," the Star reminded him. "If I had been with you, that is what would have happened- to a tragic result. The Queen wouldn't have known her daughter was dead, and thus, you wouldn'y have been sent into the future. Beryl would have won."  
Darien bit his lip. "I, more then anyone, knows the danger that can come through too much foreknowledge." The memories of his break-up with Serena flashed through his mind. Even though it had been resolved long ago, the images were enough to send a shock of pain through him. He had hated hurting Serena; hated it more then anything, but at the time, he believed he had been doing the right thing.   
That's what it came down to- doing the right thing, which to him meant protecting Serena in any way nessessary. Then his eyes widened in horror as a thought struck him. "I would kill Sailor Moon if I thought it was for her own good." As soon as he said those words, something in his soul cracked, revealing parts of Darien that were best kept hidden. It was the fundamental difference between him and Serena- she always had hope, while he would give up. Unlike her, his soul had shadows across it.  
The Star watched, as it always did. "You would kill her?" it asked, making him affirm his statement.  
"The Sailor Scouts fight for love and justice- I fight only for her," he said. "I would do anything for her... without her, there is nothing. And if there comes a time where she must die, it will be by my hand. Better a loving hand then a brutal enemy."  
For the first time in ages, Darien felt cleansed. The next time he looked into Serena's eyes, he could let himself sink into their depths, positive that his love for her was true- not pure, but true. Now that he was aware of the conflict of the darkness within, he could control it.   
Darien's thoughts were cut off as a bolt of energy surged through his body. The human body wasn't meant to have such energy flow through it, so he screamed, trying to find some surcrease. Finally it ceased, and he turned to look at Serenity-Star. Its hands were still glowing slightly blue from the energy it had charged.  
"Rise, Prince of Earth. You have passed your first test- now you must go forth to the next. Each trial will be different, and each shall make you face things that you would rather not."  
A gateway appeared and Darien managed to find the energy to walk through it. The gate shut behind him. "Poor child," the Star said. "This may be his hardest test- rather then face what could have been, he must confront what was. And for many, the task is impossible."  
  
****  
Mamoru sat on the swing-set, relishing the feel of the wind in his face. His father, Hiroshi Chiba, kept the swing-set going, occasionally sneaking a pat in his son's wind-ruffled dark hair. Finally, like so many good things, it had to come to an end.  
"It's time to go, Mamoru," Hiroshi said, not really wanting to disturb his son's pleasure. Mamoru was a serious lad, and soon he would be too old to want to spend much time with his father. Childhood was so brief.  
Without a complaint, Mamoru hopped off the swing-set, smiling sunnily up at his father. "We have to get 'kaasan, hai?" he asked.  
Hiroshi nodded, patting his son absentmindedly on the top of his head. At six years old, Mamoru was intelligent enough to understand his father's distraction. The tall blue-eyed man loved his wife to the exclusion of almost everything else, with the exception his son. At times, Mamoru couldn't understand why. Verity Chiba was beautiful, but ditzy. Mamoru was much closer to his father then he ever could be to her. Sometimes he got the feeling that she was the child and he was the adult. Still, the boy looked forward to seeing her after her week-long absence. She had taken a trip to inland China to visit a distant relative, and Mamoru had chosen to stay with Hiroshi.  
They walked over to the car, Darien taking the backseat. He buckled his seatbelt, and waited for his father to drive to the airport. The drive was smooth and Mamoru stared out the window, watching the scenery fly by. He had always hated riding in cars. He had once asked his father if he could drive for a change, but Hiroshi had only laughed, saying that Mamoru would have to at least wait until his feet could reach the pedals before thinking of that.   
They pulled into the airport, and waited in the car. Verity had promised to meet them at the curve, and her word was always good. Five minutes later, a pink-haired woman bustled out of the building, lugging two travel bags. She shoved them in the seat next to her son, pausing to kiss him on the forehead. Then she slid into the passenger seat, kissing Hiroshi lingerly on the lips.  
"How have my two guys been?" she asked, her voice rippling with amusement. "You managed to keep him clean, at least," she said to her husband.  
Mamoru frowned to himself. Verity knew very well that he took care of himself. She must have caught his expression in the rear-view mirror, because she turned around and winked cheerfully at him. "Can't you take a joke?" she asked.  
Her son just crossed his arms, staring sullenly at her. She sighed and turned back to her husband, and began regaling him with tales of her trip. "And all of my travel papers and id were in that bag! Can you believe it?" she asked at one point. Hiroshi nodded every now and then, but his eyes never left the road. They went towards home, taking a detour to avoid construction.  
Then it happened. Seemingly out of nowhere, a large truck came up and sideswiped the car. Hiroshi screamed as the car was forced over the edge of a steep ravine.  
It was Verity, though, who thought of her son. She turned and looked at him with calm eyes. She whispered his name, and that one word contained everything she had ever felt for him.  
"Mamoru...."  
There was nothing but darkness, swimming through his head. He looked around for... someone, but didn't know who. The boy would have winced, if he had known how.   
A light blue glow finally illuminated the darkness. Like a drug addict looking for a quick fix, he lunged towards it, but heard a voice warning him. "If you take that light, you will be alone," the voice prophecized. "Your parents have died, and no one knows who you are, and you won't know either. When you waken, you will no longer by Mamoru Chiba. You will be an orphan."  
The boy curled up and shed a few tears. "Then why should a bother waking up?" he asked.   
"That is for you to choose."  
Mamoru waited for a minute. "To be alone, to not know who I am? Why would I want to live like that?" Then a spark of stubbornness appeared. "But if I die here, I let that truck kill my entire family! And even if I can't remember who they are, I CAN remember that my parents loved me. No one can take that away from me!" he declared, pushing himself to his feet. He stared into the glow, and stepped through it.  
  
****  
  
Darien sat back on the green grass, looking up at Serenity-Star. His second trial was almost over, and he knew it. "Mamoru Chiba.... that's my real name," he said in amazement.  
"The Protector of Earth," Serenity-Star agreed. "Ironic, when one thinks about it."  
Darien nodded, wiping a few tears from his eyes. "I look a lot like my father," he said after a moment's hesitation.  
"That is not a surprise. The Chiba family is the most direct descendant of what was once the royal family of Earth. They have always bred true for dark-haired, blue-eyed men, though few of them ever realized how much alike they have looked for the past thousand years."  
The Star, using Serenity's image as Darien's visual guide, called forth an energy sphere. Like everything else related to its magic, it glowed blue. "What have you learned, Mamoru?" it asked.  
The name felt strange to him, yet a part of him relished in finally being revealed. "I learned that Serena is a lot like my mother, which may be why I love her in this lifetime," he said. "I learned that the feelings that I came from a loving family were correct." Then he shut his eyes, pained. "And I learned that I'm stubborn as all hell, even as a child."  
"Is this stubbornness a good thing or a bad thing?" the Star asked.  
"It makes me strong," Darien admitted frankly. "Without it, I would be dead."  
The Star nodded. Darien braced himself, vaguely aware of what was going to happen next. The ball of blue light streaked for him, engulfing his body. The power surged through him and he bit down on his lips, refusing to let loose a scream. Finally the energy was down, and Darien was on his knees before Serenity-Star. "You have passed your first test beyond that of Endymion. Arise, Mamoru Chiba, and go through the next door."  
Darien rose to his feet, though not as gracefully as he normally would have arisen. The Star watched him go for the second time. "Prince Endymion first, then Mamoru Chiba. Now it's time to explore the third aspect of the Neo-King," it mused to itself, not using actual words.   
  
****  
  
The man stood in the shadows, waiting. He raised his hand to his face, feeling something pressing against his skin. A mask? he wondered, then looked down at himself in utter confusion.  
He was wearing a pristine tuxedo, the cut impeccable. It cling to his body like a second skin, and he realized, without vanity, that he must cut quite a dashing fingure. His hands were encased by gloves of the finest satin and a top hat was perched on the top of his dark hair.  
What am I doing like this? he wondered, knowing that this was not normal behavior. For that matter, who am I?   
It was a terrifying feeling. He felt as though he had all of his memories cut off from him, and was left with only one overwhelming purpose. Find the Ginzuishou.... whatever the hell that was.  
He was standing tall in the darkness, pensively waiting. She'll be here soon... something whispered inside from him. And she was.  
A monster was attacking a young girl with red hair, yet he did not intervene. It wasn't his place. He wasn't waiting here for that- his purpose was different.  
Before he knew what was happening, a young girl dressed in an amazingly short skirt appeared in the door, backlit by the moon. She was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen, all golden hair, blue eyes and long legs. Her face, though, was frightened. She called herself Sailor Moon, and promised to get revenge on the monster.  
She talked a good game, but after a few minutes of shrieking and dodging, she managed to tumble to the floor, scrapping herself. Every single instinct of his called for him to swoop down and reassure her that she didn't have to fight, that he would take care of it all for her.... but something held him back. All he did was throw a rose and some reassuring words to her, telling her to fight for herself.  
  
****  
  
Darien jerked back awake, staring at the false Serenity. "That was the hardest choice I ever made," he confessed. The green grass seemed even fresher, and he was relieved that the sun was still high in the sky. This place seemed to have no time, and he hoped that meant that he wouldn't be missing  
"Why?" The Star asked him, crouching across from him, looking like a cat about to pounce.  
"Because I wanted to keep her safe. Because I felt like I was letting her down by making her fight when she clearly didn't want to."  
"Why did you make her fight, then?" The Star asked. It tossed one of the long golden ponytails over its shoulders, and Darien paused carefully to consider his response.  
"If I hadn't.... she would have learned only dependence. Maybe subconciously I understood that she would have to be able to stand on her own... but in all likelihood, I was just too confused to intervene."  
The jewel nodded. "And if you had been able chose?"  
"Knowing what I know now? I would have let her fight. At the moment, though- if I HAD had a choice, I would have pulled her out of there before you can say "Tuxedo Mask". But it was a good thing she fought by herself... otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to defeat Beryl, nor any of the others who followed after her. I am her support, yet she can survive without me- not well, but she does survive. I cannot survive without her- she is the answer," he said.  
"To what question?" Serenity-Star asked, almost sounding curious.  
"The question? The question is: why?"  
The Star smiled and another jolt of amazing energy worked through the man who was secretelyu Tuxedo Mask. "Are you ready for your final test, Tuxedo Mask?" the Star asked, as Darien tried to reorient himself.   
He managed to straighten his back. "I have always been ready," he said confidently.  
The Star smiled, and the look in the blue eyes caused an involuntary shudder to work its way up his spine. "Very well then."   
Darien looked around, waiting for the gate to open. Strangely, though, this time it did not appear. He gazed in confusion as Serenity-Star leaned forward and caught his face between her hands, pressing dry lips against his forehead. He tried not to jerk back from the unexpected kiss, and shut his eyes, ready for the next challenging. When he opened them again, he was surprised. He was back in the apartment, Serenity-Star kneeling on the floor before him. "What is this?" he asked hesitantly.  
"Take me if you think you deserve me," he said.  
An amazingly bright blush raced up to his cheeks, then decided to clarify matters. "Deserve the Star of Truth?" he asked pointedly. "If I didn't think I did, I wouldn't have consented ot the testing."  
The coy smile that traced the Star's lips didn't have anything to do with the Princess whose form it had borrowed. "Clever answer. Now the other question- do you deserve Serenity?"  
Darien cursed inwardly. This was the reason he had sought to reclaim the Star, so it could tell him the answer. Yet now the Star was making him answer the question- it was a cruel thing to do. Biting his lip, he allowed images to race through his mind: Serena racing through the streets, late, yet stopping to hug him; Sailor Moon fighting against a daimon, using the Spiral Moon Wand that they had created through their love; Princess Serenity calling to him to free her.... and Reenie. Reenie was the ultimate answer- their daughter, the actual culmination of their love. "If she loves me, then I am worthy enough of her- if I do not let her, then I do not trust her."  
The Star smiled, and suddenly a light flooded his appartment. Serenity-Star seemed to melt away, and soon all that was left was the original sapphire, this time set in a heavy gold ring. He picked it up and slid it onto his index finger, amazed at how the stone matched his eyes exactly.   
He heard the tenor voice one more time as the jewel shimmered. "I have been waiting for so long, your Highness. It's good to know you again."  
  
****  
  
Serena wasn't that surprised when her mother woke her up early. In her senior year, she still hadn't learned to get up on time, and doubted that she ever would. However, this was a Saturday, and getting up at nine am was not high on her lists of things to do. She looked at the phone that Irene thrust at her, trying to decide which of her friends had most likely suddenly lost their desire to live.   
"Hello?" she asked carefully.  
"Serena?" a voice asked, and she almost dropped the phone in shock. Darien hardly ever called her at home, and certainly not this early in the morning.  
"Yes?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"  
She could almost feel his nervousness as he answered. "No, definitely not! In fact, you could say that for the first time, everything is right."  
She blinked a few times. Luna, who was nearly, raised one of her cat-like eyebrows. "Then what's up?"  
"I wanted to know if you wanted to spend today together."  
Serena almost did a backflip in joy. A date with Darien ALWAYS made her day. "YES YES YES!!!" she said. "When?"  
"How soon can you be ready?" Darien teased.  
"Half an hour!" she said, slamming the phone down without a good bye.   
What followed was a Serena classic- tripping all over herself in her eagerness, she managed to to tangle herself in her wardrobe a few times before straightening out her hair, clothes, and make-up. Grabbing a slice of toast, she munched on it as she prepared to race towards the place where she usually met Darien. To her surprise, when she flung open the door, Darien was standing there, looking eager. With a quick motion, he caught her in his arms and hugged her like her never wanted to let her go. "Darien?" she asked in surprised delight.  
He smiled down into her blue eyes, then kissed her. She kissed him back with enthusiasm, then remembered that her father might wander by. "Darien! My father's home today!" she warned him. Ken Tsukino's enthusiasm for protecting his daughter had reached legendary proportions.  
If anything, his smile widened. "That's good," he said, shocking his beloved. "I wanted to talk to your parents about our possibly getting married after you graduate high school- that is, if you want to."   
She almost collapsed from joy, but quickly found her voice again. "YES YES YES YES!!!" she answered, flinging herself upward to catch his mouth with an eager kiss. After a minute, they came up for air, and she jerked him into the house.  
With a shy smile, he looked at the ring she was wearing. "I didn't know it until now, but the ring I gave you is a lot like my mother's engagement ring."   
"You remember?" she asked in shock.   
Wrapping an arm around Serena's slender waist, Darien kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Yes. But that's in the past. We can discuss it later- right now what is important in the future. Our future together- now and for always."'  
  
END   
  
THIS WAS VERY PAINFUL FOR ME TO WRITE- now I'm going back to my Saffir-chan..... please r/r and let me know if I wasted my time on this project, ne?  



End file.
